Bathtub and wall enclosure

ABSTRACT

A BATHTUB AND THREE PIECE TUB ENCLOSURE ARE DISCLOSED HEREIN AND ARE GENERALLY OF THE TYPE THAT ARE SUPPORTED ON THE FLOOR AND AGAINST A WALL OF A BATHROOM. THE PIECES OF THE ENCLOSURE ARE ADAPTED TO BE WATERTIGHT WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER AND THE ENCLOSURE AS A WHOLE IS ASSEMBLED ON THE TUB TO BE WATERTIGHT WITH RESPECT TO THE TUB. ALSO, DISCLOSED HEREIN ARE MEANS FOR SECURING THE TUB AND ENCLOSURES TOGETHER AND TO SECURE SAID TUB AND ENCLOSURE TO THE WALL.

June 29, 1971 N. T. KUYPERS ETAL 3,588,925

BA'IHTUB AND WALL ENCLOSURE Filed Nov. '21, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTORS.

'CALLIS B. NIQUETTE JR.

NORBERT TKIUYPERS ATTORNEY.

June 29, 1971 1-, u P s EI'AL 3,588,925

BATHTUB AND WALL ENCLOSURE Filed Nov. 21, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 25 6|so 25 2o INVENTORS. CALLIS B.NIQUETTE JR. NORBERTTKUYPERS ATTORNEYUnited States Patent 3,588,925 BATHTUB AND WALL ENCLOSURE Norbert T.Kuypers, Lake Orion, Mich., and Callis B. Niquette, J12, Mansfield,Ohio, assignors to Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill.

Filed Nov. 21, 1968, Ser. No. 777,627 Int. Cl. A47k 3/14, 3/00 US. Cl.4173 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE closures together and to securesaid tub and enclosure to the wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a floor andwall-supported bathroom tub and wall enclosure apparatus wherein the tubis provided with a vertical wall portion and a flange portion extendingoutwardly from the vertical wall portion. A tub enclosure assembly isprovided in conjunction with the tub and has wall portions terminatingat the bottom thereof in a flange adapted for complementally engagingthe tub flange to position the wall portion in an inwardly over-hangingrelationship with the tub vertical wall portion to shield the tub andenclosure-engaging surface from falling water. The invention furtherincludes means for securing the tub and enclosure together and to securethe tub and enclosures to the wall.

There are numerous types of existing tub and wall enclosure structureswhich unfortunately have many disadvantages that are totallyundesirable. In particular, many such structures are one piecestructures which, due to the inherent assembled size and configurationthereof, reunite that the structures be put into a bathroom during theconstruction of the bathroom rather than permitting installation in thebathroom during remodeling or the like.

In the known types of multi-piece tub and enclosures, and particularlythose manufactured from plastic or other non-metal, there is often aproblem of maintaining the structural seams watertight to prevent damageto the surrounding wall and floor. One reason for this, among others, isthat the pieces are not so constructed so as to tend to preventpenetration of water between the seams thereof. Also there are noadequate assembly clamps or the like to secure the parts of thestructures together and to hold the structures securely against the walland the floor.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a floor and wallsupported bathroom tub and wall enclosure apparatus, particularlyadapted for plastic or other non-metal structures, wherein the apparatusis a multipiece structure which can be assembled into an alreadyconstructed bathroom. However, it is further highly desirable to providea watertight tub and enclosure construction which would tend to preventwater penetration through the seams thereof. Also, it is desirable toprovide adequate clamping and spacing means for assembling the 'iceparts of the structure and holding these parts together with a sealantor adhesive therebetween if desired and into firm contact with the walland the floor to prevent the seams thereof from leaking.

Other objects, advantages and novel aspects of the invention will becomeapparent upon consideration of the following detailed description inconjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of the floor and wall supportedbathroom tub and wall enclosure apparatus of this invention showing therelative positions of the tub, enclosure and clamping means therefor;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the clampingmeans;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the clampingmeans;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the clampingmeans;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another clamping embodiment utilized inassembling adjacent enclosure pieces;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of the first embodiment of theclamping means showing the clamp in position;

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of the second embodiment of the clampshowing the clamp in position;

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view of the third embodiment of the clampshowing the clamp in position;

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 1showing the configuration of the overlapping and adjacent portions ofthe tub enclosure pieces and the interlocking embossment and recesspositioning portions thereof; and

FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view showing the configuration of theclamp shown in FIG. 5.

A floor and wall supported bathroom tub and wall enclosure apparatusgenerally represented by the numeral 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1 forthe: purpose of describing the invention. The tub and enclosureapparatus 10 includes generally, among other things, a tub 11 andenclosure assembly 12 and clamping means 13. The tub 11 and theenclosure assembly 12 are preferably manufactured from plastic, fiberglass or similar non-metal material.

The tub 11 is provided with a front skirt 14 and a horizontal topsurface 15. A vertical wall portion 16 extends upwardly from the surfaceand terminates in a tub flange 17. The tub flange 17 has a firsthorizontal tub flange portion 18 and a second vertical flange portion19.

The tub enclosure assembly 10 shown includes two right angle side pieces20 and a back center piece 21. The side and back pieces 20 and 21 areprovided with a bottom flange 22 and the adjacent portions of the sidepieces and the back piece are provided with complemental flanges 23 and24 respectively (FIGS. 1 and 9). It should be noted that the bottomflange 22 of the side and back pieces 20 and 21 of the tub enclosure 10-are adapted to complementally engage the first horizontal tub flangeportion 18. The tub vertical flange portion 19 is adapted to bepositioned against a wall 25 shown as a series of studs (FIG. 1). Theclamp 13 serves the dual purpose of securing the vertical tub flangeportion '19 to the wall 25 and to receive and retain as well as positionthe bottom flange 22 of the tub enclosure assembly 12 with respect tothe tub flange 17.

A first embodiment of the clamp 13 is illustrated generally by thenumeral (FIGS. 2 and 6) and includes generally, a securing portion 31and an enclosure positiom'ng and retaining portion 32. The securingportion 31 is a plate structure having a series of teeth 33- on an edge34 perpendicular to the plate 31. An aperture 35 is provided through theplate 31 to receive a fastener such as a nail or screw (not shown) toretain the securing portion 31 of the clamp 30 to the wall 25. The plate31 of the securing portion is provided with barbs 36 protruding from theback or friction side 37 of the securing portion. The barbs 36 areadapted to engage the second vertical flange portion 19 of the tub 11 toretain the securing portion 31 against upward movement with respectthereto.

The positioning and retaining portion 32 is provided with spacing andpositioning legs 38 depending therefrom and into engagement with thefirst flange portion 18 of the tub 11 when the securing portion 31 ofthe clamp 30 is in position (FIGS. 2 and 6). The spacing and positioninglegs 38 provide a limit for the entry of the enclosure bottom flange 22between the positioning and retaining portion 32 and the first flangetub portion 18.

The positioning and retaining portion 32 is also provided with a lip 39to guide the entry of the enclosure flange portion 22 and a frictionsurface illustrated as barbs 40 adapted to frictionally engage theenclosure flange portion 22 to retain same in position between thepositioning and retaining portion 32 and the tub flange portion 18 aswell as against the spacing and positioning legs 38.

A second embodiment of the clamp 13 generally designated by the numeral(FIGS. 3 and 7) includes generally a securing portion 51 and apositioning and retention portion 52. The securing portion 51 is aU-shaped channel having barbs 53 on an inner friction surface 54 thereofadapted to engage the second tub flange 19 when the securing portion 51is positioned thereover to retain the clamp 50 against upward movementwith respect to the tub 11.

A friction tab 55 is severed from the securing portion 51 and is bentthrough 90 to be perpendicular there with. The tab 55 is provided withbarbs 56 on a friction bottom surface 57 thereof adjacent thepositioning and retention portion 52. The positioning and retentionportion 52 is provided with a spacing lip 58 along. an edge thereof toprovide an adhesive or water sealant space between the enclosure flangeportion 22 from the tub first flange portion 18 when the tub enclosureflange 22 is inserted between the friction tab 55 and the positioningand retention portion 52. The tub enclosure flange 22 is retained by thefriction tab 56 and the retention and positioning portion 52 againstmovement away from the securing portion 51 of the clamp 50 to retain thetub enclosure 12 in position with respect to the tub 11.

A third embodiment of the clamp 13 generally designated by the numeral60 (FIGS. 4 and 8) is provided generally with, among other things, asecuring portion 61 and a positioning and retention portion 62. Thesecuring portion 61 is a modified U-shaped channel structure having oneor more barbs 63 or other friction structure on an inner surface 64thereof adapted to engage the second flange tub portion 19 to retain theclamp 60 against upward movement with respect to the tub 11.

The securing portion 61 is also provided with a tab 65 in the plane ofone leg thereof which is provided with an aperture 66 to receive afastener such as a nail or a screw (not shown) to retain the clamp 60 tothe wall 25.

The positioning and retention portion 62 of the clamp 60 is also amodified U-shaped channel having upper friction tabs 67 in one legthereof which are exposed to a tub enclosure bottom flange 22 insertedbetween the upper tabs 67 and a plate 68 providing the other leg of theU-shaped portion of the positioning and retention portion 62. Thisbottom plate portion 68 of the positioning and retention portion of theclamp 60 is 4 provided with a lip 69 for positioning the tub enclosurebottom flange 22 from the tub first flange portion 18 to facilitate anadhesive or water sealant space.

The center tub enclosure panel 21 may be connected to the side tubenclosure pieces by complementing flanges 23 and 24 (FIG. 9). The centerenclosure portion 21 disclosed herein is provided with a vertical flangeextension 75 having a recess 76 adjacent the bottom thereof and adaptedto receive an embossment 77 in the tub second flange portion 19 to keythe tub enclosure center portion 21 horizontally with respect to the tub11. In this arrangement (FIGS. 1 and 9) the tub enclosure side pieces 20are provided with the flanges 23' adapted to engage the center sectionflanges 24. However, it may be desirable for spacing or design purposesto secure the tub enclosure side sections 20 together without the centerportion 21 (FIGS. 5 and 10). In that case, the present inventioncontemplates, among other things, a resilient U-shaped clamp 80 havinglegs 81 thereof biased inwardly together and toward adjacently placedflanges 23 of the side pieces 20 to be assembled when the U-shaped clamp80 is positioned over the flanges 23. The clamp 80 is provided withbarbs 82 or other friction structures on the inner faces thereof toretain the clamp 80 in position and to secure the flanges 23 of theenclosure sides 20 together against movement.

The apparatus of this invention is assembled by the general steps ofplacing the tub 11 in position, securing the clamps 10 and installingthe tub enclosure portion 12. The tub 11 is placed in position on thefloor and against the wall 25 so that the clamps 10 can be appliedthereto. The clamp 10 is applied with the friction surface or surfacesthereof in engagement with the second vertical tub flange portion 19secured to the wall 25 and the tub flange portion 19. The tub enclosureportions 20 and 21 are then positioned with the bottom flange 23 thereofinserted adjacent the positioning and retaining portions of the clamp 10and on the tub first flange portion 18 to be held therebetween by thefriction surfaces of the positioning and retaining portions of theclamps 10.

The tub enclosure portion 12 is positioned with respect to the tubvertical wall portion 22 by the clamps 10 or by the configuration of thetub flange 17 whereby the enclosure walls 20 will be positioned in anoverhanging relationship with respect to the vertical wall portion ofthe tub. In all cases, the engaging surfaces of the apparatus of thisinvention can have a water sealant and/or adhesive applied therebetweento make the apparatus watertight and to retain its assembly. Further,although the tub and the enclosure are preferably manufactured ofplastic or the like, metal could be used and the friction surfaces orbars of the clamps could be modified to appropriately frictionally reactwith the tub and enclosure.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thespecific constructions and arrangements shown and described, as it willbe understood to those skilled in the art that changes may be madewithout departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A bathroom tub and wall enclosure supported by a building floor andwall comprising:

a tub having a horizontal flange portion and a vertical flange portionextending upwardly from the horizontal flange portion and joined to theterminus thereof;

said vertical flange portion being adapted to be positioned against saidbuilding wall;

a pair of corner vertical enclosure walls having horizontal flangesextending away from the tub side of the major surfaces thereof andadapted to be positioned on said horizontal flange portion of said tub;

means for clamping each of said enclosure walls to said tub and forclamping said enclosure walls to each other;

5 said first clamping means comprising a clamp having a substantiallyflat portion for abutting the front of the vertical flange portion ofsaid tub and a horizontal portion spaced from the horizontal flangeportion for frictionally receiving the horizontal flange of saidenclosure walls.

2. An enclosure as recited in claim 1 which said horizontal portion ofsaid first clamping means has barbs for frictionally engaging thehorizontal flanges of said en closure walls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,010,791 8/1935 Sakier 4173 61/1939 Sakier 4-l73X 9/1944 Robinson 4-173X 10/1949 Danielson 4-173X12/1950 La Barre 4-173 5/1963 Gallagher et al 52584X 5/ 1964 McColley5235X 5/1966 Blickman et al 52584X 9/ 1967 Pohutsky 248-300X 5/1968OGara et al. 4146X FOREIGN PATENTS l/ 1951 Great Britain 4-146 LAVERNED. GEIGER, Primary Examiner 2/1936 Deubelbeiss 41 15 D. B.MASSENBERG,Assistant Examiner

